As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

lora

So sorry, redlady.:(:( It sure sounds as if he had a very good life.

purpleheather2810

So sorry Redlady xxxx

betony

Hello again me dears.

I had to go and buy 'ladies personal things' from Boots today, had a bit of spare cash from the £5 and one use left on my double points voucher, so walked around to see what else I needed, couldn't find anything. Walked around again. And again. All the while muttering things like "...gorgeous new shade...don't need any of that...ooh, that's new...um...buy one get one free...that's nice...er...lovely...nope...LOVE that..." Lots of stuff I would have LIKED but couldn't find ANYTHING I actually NEEDED - so I didn't buy anything. It's you lot, you're a good influence, preventing me from buying stuff I want but don't need, :T:T:T:T to you all, you :A:A:A:A you!

:kisses3:

gailey_2

Hi guys

redlady-sorry for you loss.
jedi teacher hope everythings ok with baby.
sammy k-so pleased everythings happening sofast sounds like hectic few days but you as organised and planned as usual.

Love everyones stories of how we made do when young.

I remember being 4 my dad had brought a cottage and was doing it up and we lived in 1room, my mam couldent drive so walked miles down lanes to nearest village for bus, lucklily mini bus took us rural kids to village primary.
My dad ever the sucker for punishment once finished cottage decided to sell and build a house on land next door.
This meant us relocating to small town to live with my nan whilst work was done.
My parents slept in the dining room nans house was 3story.
she had no washing machine so had to go launderette.
used toget washed with water in washing up bowl in front of the fire.
My nan used to knit constantly so was never cold.

I tell hubby andhe looks at me like im mad but was quite normal back then we dident have the comforts we take for granted these days.

Im really confused about food:(

How does everyone work out what a realistic budget for you is.

When it was 2adults 1 child few years ago we could just about keep to £200 a month as we used cloth nappies and things seemed cheaper then.

But now we have 3kids only 2actually eat.
I Breastfeed the baby and intend to use cloth when hes bit bigger.
eldest childs in lidls disposable pullups.

Saw today on news inflations running at 4.5%:eek:
Like jedi teacher mentions noticing huge hikes on even value items in short space of time.

In order tokeepfood bills down I tried to

shop around doing 3-4different shops each month
cooking as much as I can from scratch.
buying value lines although even thats gone up.
trying to stock up onreduced lines but only co-op here seems to have good reductions on bank hols/sundays ect.
Using mobile butcher as more i buy more discount and freeze.
was doing farmfoods as get through least 30-40pints milk each week.
Foraging in summer months.

But had tough pregnancy was tired and ill.
dident cook asmuch or shop around towards the end.
babys 6weeks old tommorow and slowly trying to get intogood os habits.

made big lasagne today cheating with jars but will freeze 4portions.

we trying to spend 250 a month but normally spend up to 300 a monththat includes household,nappies and toilitries.
wondering of this realistic as know people who spend much more even with smaller families.

Up until now resisted online foodshopping as was worried would miss offers, reductions and not get best dates ect.
But cant face shopping with 3kids, so tired.
Got 15quid discount code plus free deliv of 1st order.
It came today few weird subs now have far too much garden peas and wanted petit pois. order quite abit of frozen and freezer nearly full.

Forgot a few things and dident do fruit and veg so hubbys going to lidls tommorow.

But does seem easier and tempted to try do 50quid a week as its free delivery but wondering if doing such a large amount at waitrose cost more? weirdly they seem cheaper than sainsburys on their essential range and some stuff was pricematched with tesco.

Dont know what to do for future.
will keep doing co-op as thatslocal and always reductions.
will keep going to butcher for meat.
lidls/aldis cheapest for fruit and veg.

farmfoods is very much out of our way butlike to go as use vouchers.
sainsburys and morrisions our nearest big supermarkets.
tesco much further and dont find them that cheap.
dont have time to do them all.

Feel bad for stressing over cost of essentials but worry we overspend. Want to ensure we all eat enough healthy stuff and not too processed ect.

Trying to provide healthy balanced diet, ethical meat,tasty good quality all at lowerprices but feel as if every month its a battle as things keep going up.

Its getting me down as constanty stressing.
even freinds who never commented before stuggling with rise in cost of living themselves seems like everyones fixated but im not sure where to cut back on as already eating less meat, buying less snacks ,minimal takeaways ect.

I have loose meal plans, I write a list and shop the deals.
Tryingto get back into batch cooking and start baking again to keep costs down.

culpepper

Oh dear ,so sorry about your dear old pusca Redlady

grandma247

So sorry redlady.

hex2

Sorry to hear about your loss redlady

gailey - sounds like you are doing everything right to me. 30 to 40 pints of milk a week :eek: that must be awful to carry home! My boys are 8 and 6 now (16 months apart) and we get through 6 litres of milk a week - they have a couple of glasses to drink and on breakfast cereal. The teenage locusts can rip through two litres a day each despite being told to drink diluted juice. We have skim for hot drinks for OH and I, and use maybe a pint a week for that. ETA I couldn't do this to a standard I was happy with on £250, not without having a lot of time on my hands - which with a six week old baby you just havent got. Stop beating yourself up, you are achieveing a huge amount.

I am just trying to live out of the freezer/pantry as much as I can. Cash flow is awful for the next two months, and I have to plan and work with what I have - amazing how it focuses your mind and menu. Cash is reserved for F&V and essentials. Cats, dogs and hens are also very low on food so I will have to crack and buy that at the weekend.

smileyt_2

Aw Redlady ((Hugs)) it's a horrible hurt when an animal you love dies, isn't it? Let yourself grieve and ignore anyone who doesn't understand why you are grieving.

Welcome Jackel.

I'm feeling a bit low myself. Just realised that work haven't approved all my timesheets (an oversight) which means that I'll have less money than I thought this month, and my Housing Benefit will get all messed up, again. HB just can't cope with any fluctuations and I have a running overpayment/underpayment thing going on with them for most of the year apart from a few weeks over the summer when I claim JSA. I have e-mailed work but I think it will be too late for this month's payroll. Oh well.

CRANKY40

Just wanted to send a big ((hug)) to Redlady and OH

de1amo

sorry for your loss Redlady. İ had an old cat and she died while i was abroad- upset me no end but i grieved and thought what a good long life she had and thats how i dealt with it.

i had a weird occurence this morning-my weight dropped 3lbs overnight! i was drinking last night and had very little to eat.--i think it must have been dehydration as well.

have a good evening --i have just realised its eastenders time!